Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-16
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Daily eagle
TROOPS On THE MARCH.
WHAT AN ARMY Is LIKE WHEN
ON THE ROUTE.


a Large Body of Soldiers Cannot Move
Over Twelve or Fifteen Miles Day
The Unavoidable Causes of Successive
Hats.
1t may at first seem strange that body OF
troops cannot move, even under the best OF
conditions, over twelve or fifteen miles
day, when a man can easily walk, If he IS
anything of walker from twenty-five to
thirty miles a day. 1t only requires, how
ever, little experience to prove the figures
above given, though they may be arrived at
by calculation. \ company of infantry NOV
ing in column Of fours, the usual marching for
nation, takes up about 81 yards of depth.
A regiment of ten companies will require
$50 yards, a company of cavalry about 100
yards, and a battalion of four companies
about 40 yards A six gun battery of field
artillery in column of sections, and accom-
panied with the usual baggage, requires
about 225 yards. From these figures we cal
culate the length of a column moving on q
single road An infantry brigade of four
regiments Wiz take up exclusive of baggage
1850 yards The baggage, including ammu-
each regiment Each wagon with its team
requires twenty yards depth, and for the en-
tire brigade the depth will be over 700 yards.
Add this to 1850 yards, and we have nearly
2,l0O yards or mile and quarter for the
depth of the column. If we allow but three
regiments to the brigade, we can reduce the
depth to about 900 yards For the baggage
belonging to different headquarters we must
allow depthof 200 yards
Now, coming TO a division of infantry, we
have but to multiply the foregoing total by
the number of brigades in the division But
when we take up an army corps, we have TO
make calculations for artillery and cavalry,
extra baggage and supply trains. Suppose
we take as maximum figure an army corps
composed all told Of 1900 men. 1t has four
divisions of infantry, eight to twelve bat
terleS, and at least four regiments of cavalry
Were 1t able TO march close up, on a single
road with all its trains, including reserve
supplies it would stretch out, at the least
calculation, about eighteen miles. But it is
impossible for column of this length TO keep
from stretching, or "lengthening out" as it
is technically termed, and so the best author
tiles make an allowance Of % per cent,
which, added TO the eighteen miles, makes
twenty-five and one-haf miles, or a distance
which would take mounted messenger
moving from the head of the column to the
rear, if he made good speed and met with no
obstruction, at least three hours to make, or
moving from the rear to the head, nearly
half day
WHAT GEN. MCCLELLAN SAID
Gen Mcclellan, i'll one of his reports, says:
eff [ had marched the entire army, 100, 900
men, in one column, instead of on five differ
ent roads, the column, with its trains, would
have stretched out fifty miles" In tho
Franco-Prussian war it was found that
PrusSian army corps of 42, SIP men, 80 guns.
1880 horses and 1900 vehicles took UP on
a single road twenty miles, eighteen
miles occupied by the troops and nine miles
by the trains.
If roads were all broad enough and in good
condition, columns could march with far
greater front, and the depth be vastly re-
duced. Bat in this country, at least, there
are few r where there is room for a col
umn o! II width than a set of tours to
move Z VIC sufficient space for the uniln-
peded -cSs of orderlies and staff officers,
or for VEHICLES which have to 90 in an opDo-
site direction. 1t may re asked why the col
umn cannot be kept closed up, why it has to
lengthen out! Sometimes a wagon breaks
down. 1t is hauled to one side for re-
pairs and the others pass on. But
TO haul it to one side consumes some
time, Inayhap only few moments, and
few moments again when repaired to re-
enter the colamn. The consequence is a halt
of everything in the rear. Neither men nor
horses can be marched steadily without halt
and rest every hour, and a halt at the head
of the column, or in resuming the march,
occasions loss of time to all regiments in rear,
which cannot halt or start at once, but must
do so successfully.
Again, perhaps, a bridge mas to be crossed,
and time is lost by the breaking OF step, OF,
perhaps, the change of formation. PERHAPS
the stream has to be forded, or some obstacle
is met with III tho road It must be remenl-
bered that, in addition to the actual distance
accomplished in marching, many other things
are required of tho soldier He has to 90 on
guard or picket, he is sent out perhaps as a
TANKER on the march, or arriving az camp he
has TO collect fuel and water; moreover, he
carries a heavy load, his KIT, gun, amrnuni-
ton and days ratiOns, averaging from fifty
TO sixty pounds. So that perhaps were v7o
able to calculate all that he has done, we
should find he has expended as much strength
as would take the ordinary pedestrian over
twenty-five to thirty miles of road-W. r
Hamilton in New York Post